The Detroit Lions announced they officially moved Netane Muti to IR and signed two players—including a former Lions draft pick—to the active roster
The Detroit Lions announced a slew of roster moves prior to Thursday’s training camp. As expected, guard Netane Muti is out of the season and has been placed on injured reserve . Additionally, the Lions confirmed the signing of UFL offensive lineman Jake Burton , who will help give the Lions some needed depth on the offensive line with Muti out and rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany still on the Non-Football Illness list.
Perhaps most interestingly, though, the Lions announced they’ve signed defensive lineman Pat O’Connor.
If that name sounds familiar, it should for you die-hards. O’Connor was the team’s seventh-round pick way back during the 2017 NFL Draft . He did not end up making the initial 53-man roster and only lasted a couple of weeks on the team’s practice squad.
Since then, O’Connor has made a nice career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . In the next few years, he was on and off the team’s practice squad, but from 2020 and beyond, he’s played in at least 11 games for the Bucs in each season—albeit mostly in a special teams role. In 2020 and 2021, O’Connor logged over 340 special teams snaps (ranking second and first on the team, respectively).
At 6-foot-4, 270 pounds, O’Connor is built similarly to the player he is likely replacing on the field: John Cominsky, who suffered a torn MCL this week and is expected to miss the next five to six months. O’Connor will challenge for a roster spot with the likes of Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike, Mathieu Betts, and James Houston.